How to find that PERFECT gift
We all have that one person on our Christmas gifting list that is IMPOSSIBLE to shop for. You know, the person that just buys something for themselves whenever they want or need something. You want to give them a gift they will certainly use, but not necessarily something boring. My mother is that person. I have many strategies for trying to surpass this hurdle every Christmas, Birthday, and Mother’s Day that seem to work pretty well. I’m here to share them with you…
Make a list of all the things that person likes to do or is interested in
Try to locate what qualities make this person who they are. Do they like to read? Are they into any sports teams? Do they have a favorite band? Anything that can pinpoint some focus of interest in their lives that you know will spark joy in their eyes Christmas morning. Creating this list, as many specifics as possible might bring about some small and big ideas that you otherwise would have looked over. There are so many items out there that we would never consider until we truly look at the person involved. Trust me; it really is the thought and consideration that counts.
Look to the past
Nostalgia gains big bucks for exploiting the child inside today’s adults. Look at the movie industry with reboots of old classics, boosting the entertainment industry. Is there an item that you can regift like a Nintendo 64 from their childhood? Or maybe you have an old photo you can frame? A few years ago I took all our old VHS tapes and converted them to DVDs for the entire family of old family plays we made. There are touching things you can find to lift the spirit that you cannot buy in a store. I draw a lot in my spare time, so even homemade art of something meaningful to the person is always welcomed with glee (and sometimes happy tears).
Do some stalking
I like to do this with Amazon. If you have access to their account, you can snoop in their past history to see what they’re looking at and purchasing. This can bring about clues. Maybe they have been looking at makeup and placed it in their wish list until they were able to afford it (cough* me), or sometimes they’re looking for a specific
Give an Experience
This never fails. If there is absolutely no item you can think of to get the person, an experience can go a really long way, and can usually be used as a gift for two people to share it together. Take my mom for example, she claims to have all these ambitions to try this new workout fad, to start creating pastel art, or start a candle selling business on the side. The closets in my parent’s house are now riddled with perfectly sealed un-used items. Some people just aren’t really “hobby people” or at least they’d like to be but don’t follow through. Experiences not only basically force them to go and use it; it creates an event with someone else to enjoy it with. Getting tickets to a play or entry to an art museum may be the way to go.
Novelty Gifts and Humor
Ok, so this is my bottom-of-the-barrel approach. No shows are in town the person would be interested (or it’s just too damn expensive). So what now? Get a joke gift. Custom ones are the best. My mom always complained about not being able to read the menus at dark restaurants which prompted us children to gift her a GIANT magnifying glass, including a light. My dad was annoyed at the million controls used to turn on the television. We got him an oversized remote and he actually, hilariously used it. That is a gift they would NEVER get themselves, but now they get a chuckle and think about you every time they use it. Are most novelty gifts pretty cheesy and lame? Yeah, probably. However, this can help you in a pinch when you’re like….WHAT on earth could this person want?
The bottom line is this – DON’T STRESS IT TOO MUCH! Most people don’t care what you gift them, they just want you there. I think we all tend to get a little too wrapped up (see what I did there? Hehe) in what people will think. Relax and try to enjoy the holiday fun. By the way, I’m still looking for a gift for my mom this year (sigh…) so comment below if you have any great ideas!
